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ZDNet: IBM's Entire eServer Family To Run Linux

"IBM has a grand unification plan for its servers. It's
called Linux. Indeed, Big Blue is preparing to make sure that
its entire eServer family--from low-end Intel systems to high-end
mainframes--will support all four major Linux distributions."

"Details about the initiative are sketchy, but IBM is expected
to provide Caldera, Red Hat, SuSE and TurboLinux with hardware,
financial and technical assistance. In return, the Linux vendors
will port their respective operating systems to IBM's entire line
of eServers--which spans S/390 mainframes, AS/400 minicomputers,
RS/6000s, Netfinity and NUMA-Q. The intended result: Linux will be
the first operating system available to run on all IBM servers. In
theory, this could reduce support and training headaches among
IBM's partners and customers."

"All four of the Linux players already support IBM's Netfinity
servers. And SuSE is beta testing S/390 support. But major gaps
remain elsewhere. The AS/400, for instance, has little to no native
Linux support. As one Linux vendor puts it, "Who can afford to port
to so many different and expensive platforms?"

"Nevertheless, having a rich uncle like IBM could help the
situation."